A taste of trends to come

Last week, Taste of London made its comeback with the crowds once again decending on Regents Park between 13th to 17th June and it definitely didn’t disappoint. Bringing together a top line–up of chefs, restaurants, pop up bars and taste experiences, it, as always, showcased what’s up and coming in all things food and drink

One thing that couldn’t be missed was the acknowledgement of the rise of veganism that we are currently seeing in the UK. Vegan options at London restaurants are becoming more well thought out, exciting and genuinely appealing – even to non vegans! – and Taste truly was a reflection of the way Londoners now like to dine.

Showing no signs of slowing down, we noticed a number of favourites had been given a vegan twist. From Blue Skies’ dairy free ice cream, made with coconut milk and impossibly creamy, to delicious dishes such as Bubbledogs’ Togorashi Tots and Hoppers’ Paneer Kottu, meat free and dairy free were clearly on everyone’s minds.

The ever-popular Action Against Hunger tent, which this year took on the theme of spring rolls – had not one but two vegan friendly plates on offer, in the form of Asma Khan’s Bengali Spring Roll with Spicy Potato, Stuffing and Tomato Chutney and Chantelle Nicholson’s Truffled Pea and Caramelised Onion Spring Roll.

Playing perfectly into this year’s theme of sustainability – we spotted that the use of plastic had been significantly reduced – vegan-friendly options are certainly drawing in the crowds and here to stay!

On the drinks side, we were pleased to a number of British brands in the mix, most notably in the wine sector. Starting at the Hattingley Valley stand (after posing for a number of photos with the Alice in Wonderland-themed props), we were keen to try their limited edition Sparking Red Pinot, which proved a hit with all!

With low alcohol proving a huge trend over recent months, we then moved onto the Small Beer Brew Co to check out the three low-alcohol beers they were serving, all of which are brewed at their brand new Bermondsey brewery. Low alcohol certainly doesn’t mean low flavour, as these packed a punch and had us going back for one (or two!) more.

Lastly, while gin is certainly still in, rum is most definitely hot on its heels. Pirate’s Grog and Chairman’s Reserve were serving up a storm of cocktails to the constant crowds. Rum Espresso Martini, anyone?